See a horrible accident? New US bill would bar you from posting about it for an hour

People need to be "more respectful" about online postings, says lawmaker.

A new bill pending in the Kentucky state legislature would impose a ban of "at least one hour" on the online publication of "any information identifying the potential victims" of serious physical injury.

The legislation, which was proposed by State Rep. John "Bam" Carney (R) earlier this month, would impose a fine of $20 to $100 for such publication. The text of the bill includes exemptions for "the injured individual," journalists, and emergency responders.

"It’s purely my intent to get a discussion going out there, asking people to be more respectful about what they put on social media," Carney told the Lexington Herald-Leader. "We’ve had some incidents, including one in my community, and I’d hate for anyone to learn about the loss of a loved one through social media."

Even if passed and signed into law by the governor, it's likely that the law would face legal challenges, as the Supreme Court has roundly rejected "prior restraint"—forbidding publication before it actually happens.

As the notable late 20th-century philosopher Walter Sobchaknoted: "This affects all of us, man—our basic freedoms."